Oracle Makes VA EHR Promises, CMS Fails to Recover Overpayments
Oracle leadership testified before Congress assuring legislators that the VA EHR Modernization project will be remedied, and CMS audits reveal a pattern of underachieving overpayment collections.
Source: Getty Images
By - Oracle, the owner of Cerner, went before Congress to comment on the state of the VA EHR implementation which has been delayed, error-filled, and over budget. An executive for the company explained that the implementation would be back on track soon.
Meanwhile, an audit conducted by the Office of the Investigator General (OIG) found that CMS has consistently failed to recoup its significant overpayments for several years.
Oracle Leadership Promises to Fix VA EHR
The beleaguered Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) EHR modernization project will be “back on track,” according to Mike Sicilia, executive vice president of Oracle. In a House Committee hearing, the Oracle executive said that his company’s 2022 acquisition of EHR vendor Cerner would bring the project back in line with cost and schedule expectations. Committee members shared harsh language during the hearing, with Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois commenting: "If we don't see major progress by early next year when VA says they intend to roll Cerner out to larger sites, we will have to seriously consider pulling the plug." READ MORE.
Washington State Launches Free COVID-19 Telehealth
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) launched a free telehealth program for state residents who’ve tested positive for coronavirus. The DOH program offers telehealth consultations at no cost to patients without insurance and promotes access to early treatments. The program is being provided in partnership with Birds Eye Medical and Color Health. READ MORE.
CMS Overstates Repayment Recovery by $150M
According to an OIG audit, CMS has again failed to recover millions in Medicare overpayments. The latest audit found that CMS had paid out $272 million in overpayments and collected only $120 million in returns. The audit also revealed that CMS had been negligent of OIG’s recommendations for recouping overpayment. New guidance from OIG suggests that the agency revise its policies for reopening claims; CMS has yet to comment on any changes it will make. READ MORE.
AHA Asks for End to 340B Payment Cuts
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is asking the US District Court for the District of Columbia to halt 340B Drug Pricing Program payment cuts immediately. Program cuts were issued after hospital groups purportedly gained large profits from 340B reimbursements. AHA had won similar litigation in the past when the US Supreme Court agreed that 340B payment cuts were not adherent to federal law. READ MORE.
Aetna CVS Health to Enter CA Individual Insurance Marketplace
Aetna CVS Health will begin selling individual health insurance plans to Californians living in El Dorado, Sacramento, Yolo, and the greater Fresno area. The programs offered across these counties will cover a range of services through Aetna’s staff of clinicians. Members of the joint plan will also have full access to all CVS Minute Clinic locations across the covered area. READ MORE.
